"Monsoon rains have finally hit Bihar. Heavy rains lashed different parts of Bihar marking the arrival of monsoon," Patna meteorological department director S.I. Lashkar said.

Lashkar said that rain will continue across the state Monday too. "In the next few hours, rains will hit many districts across the state," he said.

In Chhattarpur block in neighbouring Jharkhand's Palamau district, farmers, hit by drought for the fourth successive year, launched a signature campaign, seeking permission for "mercy killing" from President Pratibha Patil.

"In the 2006 drought, farmers sold their bullock cart, goats and other things. In 2007, we sold our piece of land. In the 2008 drought, we were forced to sell the jewellery of our wives. Now what should we sell in the 2009 drought? Should we sell ourselves? We may have been deprived to lead a respectable life, but we should be allowed a respectable death," reads the four-page letter, a copy of which is with IANS.

Anger also overflowed in the national capital as residents once again took to the streets to protest power outages and water shortage.

Reeling under prolonged power outages - ranging from a couple of hours to 12 hours a day in various areas - the residents of Delhi staged angry protest demonstrations Sunday and demanded a solution.

Protests against power cuts are going on for the last few days in the national capital.

"There is no electricity since last night. More than 12 hours have passed but there is no respite. We went to the local office of these private power companies, but besides giving us assurances, they have done nothing to help anyway," said Rajkishore Sharma, a resident of Sangam Vihar area in south Delhi.

Old-time residents and weather officials say this unrelenting heat wave could be caused by the city's lung, the Ridge, turning barren by the day and the never-ending "concrete boom".

Facing strong criticism for the power crisis in the capital right during the peak of summer, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Sunday promised the city the situation will improve in a few days and sternly asked the power distribution companies to improve their response time.

As if on cue to the chief minister's words of assurance, the weather improved in the afternoon with dust storms and a drizzle in Delhi and other parts of north India that brought some relief from sweltering heat.

"Dust storms and mild thundershowers like what Delhi experienced today are precursors to the advancing monsoon," India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Ajit Tyagi told IANS.

Though the promise of monsoon is there, the present searing heat and the resultant acute power crisis in Punjab have hit everyday life hard. People are suffering long power cuts, office timings have been changed, shopping centres ordered to shut early and industries have been asked to take 72 hours off every week to conserve power.

The mercury has been hovering between 42 and 45 degrees Celsius in most cities and towns of Punjab in the last few days.

Brushing aside fears of a drought, union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Sunday said that though the monsoon rains have been delayed this year, there is "no drought-like situation".

"There is no drought like situation because of the delay in the monsoon and the losses would be compensated in the months of July and August... There is no need to worry," Pawar told a television channel.

Pawar's comments come a day after Manipur was declared a drought-hit state

(IANS)

Comment

comments...

Dear Gheyas Hashmi I am writing this comment on your comment. As you wanted to project yourself as One of the Knowledgeable and Intellectual person, who knows everything about God, It's creations and His Kingdom, but unfortunately I would say that it is little knowledge which is dangerous. Your comment shows that how people in this are committing same mistake again and again without understanding the essence of Religion and it's references to God.

Where Science ends Spirituality starts and where Spirituality ends their starts a new Dawn of Life. I agree that God is only One.... But it is not the God we are used to pray or bound in terms of rituals or religion. "God" is Energy and everyone knows it is a known fact that Energy is everywhere and is in everything. It can get converted from one form to other form and is undefined as yet by our "So called Scientific World". This is long science I have been seeing such comments Like how people can worship so many God. God is One. Idol worship is not good etc etc.. but I am sorry to say that same people have no idea about what they are discussing. We in materialistic world have form so many rules in the name of some or the other religion. Claims have been made as it God Himself have dictated those terms to follow. God has a Kingdom and He punishes everyone in Hell. But all these are nothing but human created. The Energy we refer as God is constructive as well as destructive. Energy is the root of all development and does not have a set of rules. The rules we have defined our self in the name of religion was done for well being of the society but unfortunately it is being misinterpreted by many for their selfish motives.
Now coming to the point of referring Rain as "God": First of all rain is also product of energy and not only rain but in every living and non living there is energy, Its everywhere, It can only be converted but neither created nor destroyed, so what is wrong if author is referring it as "God" (God means Energy only). Secondly, with all education and science and technology can anyone make any of the creation of nature? Water: H2O, everyone knows the formula but can anyone make a molecule of Water? Why because the energy required for it is unknown. This is just one example you can find that not even a single natural substance can be created by our all given science and technology. So what is wrong in referring such creations and packet of energy by it's root name... Call it Rain Energy or Rain God... only linguistic term has change but quality remains the same. There are so many languages in the world that we refer to same things in almost 1000 different names but does it changes it's nature? No... so it is our own barrier and linguistic fault and not the fault of Lord Almighty that divided we stand on His name. If we all become educated then definitely there will be no such comments or reaction for anything like this. I am sorry to say but all of us are only literate, but not educated. We require to educate our self and enjoy the life form of us by just being Human being and nothing else. No religion says to follow anything which is unnatural or Inhuman.

The discussion can go long but this is not the place. These discussion are endless too and everyone has their own point of view. I do respect others point of view too keep my faith and knowledge intact and sharing with will person who can add some of better point of view to my knowledge bank. Everyone has it's own birth right to follow whatever they believe in and no one has any authority to make someone follow in what one believes himself.

Manish Prateek

manishprateek@gmail.com

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First of all if it is good news that rain came. Early and late is not a serious matter as long as it proves to be good respite for the people and help them flourish their agricultural crops and fulfill other needs. Secondly, I would like to drawn attention of our learned, educated and civilized people who are still using the ancient style of writing such as “Rain God Smiles“. If our education does not give us the due wisdom, intellect and rational approach then the use of such education becomes futile. Let us be clear that The God is One and Alone and similarly His Kingdom. He does not have any partner. If a human kingdom cannot have more than one King how the divine kingdom will have many Kings (Gods). He is a Creator and all are His creatures. If we understand the relation between a manufacturer and his product we will be able to understand the concept of God and His Creatures.

His Angels who are most obedient to Him have been working as ministers having different portfolios. So, God does not have any qualities that His creatures (angels, jinn and mankind, and others) have. This is one of the major differences between a Creator and Creatures. He has given some of his qualities like kindness to mankind and animals whereby they show almost care to their children. Hence, God does not smile. He showers His mercy and kindness on people in different ways, one of them is rain.
Gheyas Hashmi
Jeddah
Email: hgheyas@savola.com